History of Cartier | Jeweler to the Kings and Queens |

Taking over his master’s workshop, Louis-François Cartier founded Cartier in 1847, amidst the subversive times of the ongoing French revolution. With the rise of the Second Empire, Cartier’s business grew over a decade, with the opening of the first Cartier boutique in 1859. Louis-François’ son Alfred then took over the business, moving it to the prestigious rue de la Paix in the jewelry district of Paris. Alfred’s own sons expanded the Cartier brand overseas, to London and New York. Alfred’s third son remained behind in Paris to continue the growth of Cartier at home. His revolutionary ideas, such as using platinum in jewelry, earned Cartier the title of ‘Jeweller of Kings, King of Jewellers’ from King Edward VII. The celebrity endorsements didn’t stop there, with Louis’ friend Alberto Santos-Dumont commissioning a watch to wear while piloting his lighter-than-air dirigible. Santos-Dumont’s celebrity status made the wrist-worn watch, uncommon at the time, a must-have fashion accessory among